Chapter 4, Psychological Warfare

"Mental cultivation once." Lü Bu's gaze shifted, his attributes were quite specialized, with strength, constitution, and agility all rated at three or even four stars, but his mental attribute was lacking, not even reaching one star, only at 9 points. According to Lü Bu's understanding, while mental capacity does not equate to wisdom, it does affect the speed of thought. A mental score of 9 points is considered decent among ordinary people, but in the context of the civil and military officials of this era, it is quite inadequate. To illustrate, Zhang Liao, with a two-star mental attribute, could easily outclass Lü Bu in many aspects, such as discerning the enemy's strategies and the speed of contemplation. Although these do not necessarily denote wisdom, they indicate a significant intellectual gap between Lü Bu and others. As a ruler, Lü Bu is not merely a gang leader who relies solely on brute strength; he also needs the ability to manage his subordinates. It is not that Lü Bu lacks this ability, but rather that his current mental capacity often leaves him feeling overwhelmed, and it is very likely that he could exhaust himself and meet an early demise.

Le Jin, he is remembered as a great general of the Cao army, one of the Five Outstanding Generals conferred by Cao Cao in the future. Unexpectedly, due to a twist of fate, he ended up dying here

"Not bad." Gao Shun nodded, and a hint of a smile appeared on his otherwise serious face

"The initial price, that is to say, will the achievement points required for subsequent cultivation increase?" Lü Bu frowned and said

Chen Gong is currently in a severely injured state, and treatment requires 2000 achievement points. Do you wish to proceed with the treatment?

Congratulations to the host for defeating the renowned general Le Jin from the Three Kingdoms, earning 2,000 achievement points and 200 prestige

On the city tower of Fengxian, Zhang Liao looked at Lü Bu with confusion as he seemed to be pondering something while walking past him, as if he had not seen him at all, and could not help but let out a bitter laugh and speak up.

Additionally, due to the host consuming achievement points to aid in recovery, Chen Gong's favorability towards the host has increased from basic loyalty to intermediate loyalty

This person is indeed Le Jin. Within the southern gate of Xiapi City, Lü Bu was naturally unaware of Cao Cao's plans. After repelling Cao Cao's surprise attack, he finally had the leisure to assess the results of the battle, looking at the generals he had slain, and he cast a surprised glance at Gao Shun.

Beside Cao Cao, a frail scholar sighed and looked at the general, saying: "Do you know who killed General Wen Qian?"

Sighing, it was not until this moment that Lü Bu finally had the time to review the notifications previously provided by the system.

"Lü... Lü Bu." The military general glanced at the scholar with some trepidation and said in a low voice

With this ability, in the future, when capturing some military generals, as long as they undergo a few rounds of training, it will be possible to subdue them with just a few sessions of cultivation

"System, how many achievement points are needed to cultivate Zhang Liao and Gao Shun?" asked Lü Bu

Oh? Upon hearing this, Lü Bu regained his senses, looked around in confusion, and finally turned his gaze to Zhang Liao. He nodded to Zhang Liao and said, "Wen Yuan, go back and rest. Leave tonight to me."

"We cannot retreat," said the frail scholar with a smile. "My lord, Lü Bu has just repelled our forces, and his mind must be relaxed at this moment. If we launch another attack now, it may yield extraordinary results"

The recovery time will vary depending on the physical strength of the treated individual, and there will be a period of weakness. Chen Gong is not a military general, and his physical condition is no different from that of an ordinary person. Even with the assistance of the system, it is impossible to recover immediately

This issue requires the host to ponder for themselves

"Go and invite Master Hua Tuo; save as many as you can." Lü Bu sighed and looked at the soldiers around him, saying this, but he knew well that with the current medical conditions, even with a divine doctor like Hua Tuo present, some severely injured soldiers would likely find it difficult to see the sun rise again.

"Prime Minister, now that Lü Bu is on guard, engaging in night battles is not advantageous for our army. It would be better to retreat for now," said a lean scholar behind Cao Cao with a bitter smile

Slow down! Upon hearing this, Cao Cao also found it reasonable and was about to issue an order when the frail scholar suddenly intervened

Congratulations, the host's spiritual attribute has successfully been elevated to the one-star realm

Cultivation itself is a process that aids individuals in elevating their life levels, consuming more achievement points, and making it easier to suggest to the subconscious. The system's voice remained calm and unperturbed, yet it instilled in Lü Bu a few more thoughts

"No!" Upon hearing this, Cao Hong's eyes lit up, and a trace of cruel light flashed in his gaze: "I will definitely bring back the head of Lü Bu."

Lü Bu curled his lips; for the time being, these things were still somewhat distant from him. With his current achievement points plus over 90 points, he could train Gao Shun once. However, what effect would the training have?

It is naturally possible. Although human emotions are complex, they are not without trace. The host consumes achievement points for its healing. Although Chen Gong himself is unaware, subconsciously, he will feel gratitude towards the host who has saved his life. The process of consuming achievement points is also a form of hypnosis and suggestion.

"Yes." Gao Shun cupped his hands in salute and accepted the order, then immediately commanded the lightly injured soldiers to assist their wounded comrades in making their way to the inner city

Sometimes, seemingly trivial expressions of concern can yield remarkable effects. As an executive for many years, Lü Bu's ability to win people's hearts is something his predecessor could never match. A simple, straightforward expression of concern warmed the hearts of many soldiers in the surrounding camp.

Upon hearing this, Lü Bu could not help but frown, not because of the price itself. Zhang Liao is a talented general, while Gao Shun, though a man of loyalty and righteousness with commendable abilities, primarily excels in leading troops. It is not Gao Shun's strength to command an army independently, so the price difference is reasonable. What truly caused Lü Bu to frown was the underlying implication in the system's words.

I am afraid that is not possible. "Zhang Liao shook his head and stood beside Lu Bu, pointing at Cao Cao's camp across the way, saying: "I have a strong feeling that Cao Cao will launch an attack tonight.

"Treatment!" Lü Bu nodded vigorously. Chen Gong is the chief strategist under his command and cannot be replaced for a long time to come. Moreover, he was injured while saving himself. For both emotional and rational reasons, this life must be saved

Having only killed a renowned historical general, the rewards were so substantial that Lü Bu could not help but feel overjoyed. Now, the expenses for treating Chen Gong were more than sufficient. He immediately said: "Treat Chen Gong"

As the system sound echoed in his mind, Lü Bu felt a slight warmth in his brain, yet it was not uncomfortable. It was as if a current of heat was coursing through his mind, quickly dissipating. However, Lü Bu felt an unparalleled exhilaration, as if a certain transformation had taken place.

Will it strike again

Lu Bu secretly sighed, turned his head to look at the surrounding soldiers, and frowned as he asked: "What is the casualty situation of the brothers in the vanguard?"

"General Xiahou, General Le has fallen!" A martial general, who rushed into the city in a disheveled state, was held in the hand of Xiahou Dun, his face filled with bitterness.

"Does nurturing subordinates also provide such implications?" Lu Bu inquired in his mind as he walked up the city tower

"Chancellor, I will lead the troops to launch a fierce attack right away. Tonight, we must capture the city of Xia Pi and use Lü Bu's head to honor Wen Qian's spirit in heaven!" Cao Hong shouted angrily as he raised his sword

The message that followed from the system surprised Lü Bu slightly: achievement points can also enhance loyalty

Lü Bu nodded slightly; reducing the time from one month to three days was already a miracle, and it seemed that he had been a bit too greedy.

Due to the host's mental state reaching a critical point, this cultivation can only enhance the mental attribute slightly. Do you confirm the cultivation?

"I cannot say for certain," Zhang Liao shook his head. "I just feel something is amiss. The retreat of Cao's army was too decisive. Even if the surprise attack failed, with the strength of Cao's forces, a strong assault could have potentially breached the city in one fell swoop. Night operations, while disadvantageous for Cao's army, are equally unfavorable for us."

"Can loyalty be detected as well?" Lü Bu furrowed his brow, suddenly feeling a sense of unreality, as if he were playing an ultra-realistic game

Outside the southern city, witnessing the city gate being breached, a large number of Cao troops were converging towards this side. However, they suddenly saw the Cao troops that had already rushed into the city retreating in a panic. A group of Cao soldiers huddled together, with several military generals braving the arrows raining down from the city walls, shouting sternly in an attempt to stabilize the formation. Yet, those Cao soldiers had already been frightened out of their wits by Lü Bu, and they no longer paid attention to military orders, with some even directly brandishing their weapons against their comrades.

"Then can I cultivate myself?" Lü Bu suddenly asked, since it is possible to cultivate subordinates, there is no reason why he cannot do so himself

The treatment was successful, and Chen Gong's injuries will heal within the next three days. During these three days, Chen Gong will be in a weakened state and unable to carry out any military actions, including planning

It is inevitable for a general to perish on the battlefield

Lu Bu's gaze turned towards Cao's camp, where he saw a dark expanse, illuminated only by scattered torches emitting a dim light. Even from several miles away, it was impossible to discern the specific situation within the military camp. A fleeting spark of inspiration seemed to flash through his mind, yet it was difficult to grasp that momentary insight. Lu Bu furrowed his brow and asked, "Why?"

Hearing the voice of the system, Lü Bu could not help but frown, as it would actually take three more days

Where is Wen Qian? Let him come to see me! As the city gates, which had already been opened, slowly began to close again, Cao Cao, with his eyes tightly shut, stood behind the Cao army. Beside him, Xiahou Dun roared in anger, lamenting that such a great opportunity to breach the city was wasted, leaving the Cao army generals unable to accept it.

"Lü Bu, you have harmed one of my great generals!" Cao Cao suddenly opened his eyes, gazing fiercely in the direction of Xiapi City, and declared in a stern voice: "On the day the city falls, I will surely kill you!"

Yes, the host can cultivate each of their attributes by consuming achievement points. For attributes below one star, each cultivation requires 10 achievement points. For attributes between one star and two stars, each cultivation requires 100 achievement points. For attributes between two stars and three stars, each cultivation requires 1,000 achievement points, and so on. Each time a star is increased, the required achievement points increase tenfold, with no upper limit. The attributes gained from each cultivation range from 1 to 10, and at the critical point, only one point can be obtained.

Cao Cao, upon hearing this, pondered for a moment and then smiled, saying: "Excellent, with Fengxiao by my side, I can rest easy!" He turned to the generals and finally fixed his gaze on Cao Hong, saying with a smile: "Ziqian, prepare my infantry and rest for one hour; after one hour, we shall attack the city!"

Oh? Cao Cao unexpectedly looked at the other party: "What strategy does Fengxiao have?"

Zhang Liao, a renowned historical general and one of the Five Outstanding Generals, requires 5,000 achievement points for initial cultivation. Gao Shun, a man of loyalty and righteousness, also leaves a mark in history, requiring 2,000 achievement points for initial cultivation

The Eight Hundred Assault Camp has suffered over half of its casualties. Upon hearing this, Gao Shun spoke in a somewhat subdued tone, as the Assault Camp was established under his leadership. The loss of over half its members is unprecedented since the camp's inception, causing Gao Shun immense heartache

Xiahou Dun was taken aback and turned to look at Cao Cao, only to see Cao Cao with his eyes closed and silent, clearly having anticipated this outcome. The surrounding Cao army generals were also in a state of gloom. Since the campaign against Xuzhou began, this was the first time a major general had fallen in battle. Le Jin was not an ordinary military officer; in terms of military strategy and his own martial skills, he was among the top choices under Cao Cao's command.

Upon hearing this, Lü Bu could not help but fall into deep contemplation. After all, he was new to the battlefield, and the experiences left by his predecessor were primarily about charging into battle. In terms of defending the city and arranging troops, his predecessor was not much better than him, a novice. Although he did not understand it at the moment, he knew that there could be no carelessness at this critical time. Lü Bu nodded and said: "The vanguard has just gone through a tough battle and is not suitable for another fight. You go to the military camp and select three thousand soldiers to secretly ambush within the city. If the Cao army truly intends to attack again, they will most likely come for the south gate. You should set up an ambush outside the south gate, prepare crossbows, and if the Cao army does come to attack, give them a crushing blow."

Confirm!